Valve's new 'Dota 2' subscription adds an in-game coach

Valve calls it an "evolution of the Battle Pass." For $3.99/3.05 per month, or less if you commit to a longer term up front, you get access to an exhaustive list of challenges. Prepare to develop an unhealthy fixation on micro-rewards, in other words. There's a new hero leveling system so you can show everyone how good you are with a specific character, and various other seemingly pointless ways you can pimp your profile. All the little branches of progression earn you "Reward Shards," which is the in-game currency you will use to buy cosmetics and stuff.

What's way more interesting, though, is the new Dota Plus Assistant. It's basically like having a stat-obsessed pro looking over your shoulder. It will suggest heroes to pick during the drafting phase and the positions they should play, as well as what abilities and items you should prioritize during the game. It works in real time, too, so as the match progresses it will change recommendations based on how things are playing out. Plus subscribers also get access to richer post-game analytics and stats that paint a picture of worldwide trends.

Festival-goers paid anything from $490 to $250,000 for the two-weekend event, which was heavily promoted by huge Instagram influencers, including Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski and Bella Hadid.
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[Image credit: TechCrunch]People found the same thing on Instagram shortly after, and the social network decided to follow suit. Its spokesperson echoed Snapchat's statement, telling TechCrunch that it has "stopped [its] integration with Giphy as they investigate the issue.
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